'Flaming snow' rained down on terrified families fleeing building fire

27 January 2024 , 18:10

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'Flaming snow' rained down on terrified families fleeing building fire

Large chunks of flaming debris rained down "like snow" on residents as they desperately evacuated a major fire in Liverpool this afternoon.

More than 50 firefighters in a dozen fire engines were scrambled to the scene in Fox Street, in the Everton area, around 2.20pm after a blaze erupted at an abandoned building - reportedly just days after another fire, with fireworks often being let off there, according to one tenant.

Bradley Dalton, who lives with his partner in an apartment block immediately next door, said he called 999 before they both fled - and now they don't know if they'll have a home to go back to.

The 30-year-old shared shocking footage with the Mirror showing the start of the blaze in what is a square horseshoe-shaped development, which he said was only partially constructed years ago.

The fire broke out at an abandoned building in Fox Street, Liverpool (Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)

He said: "As we left there was a load of debris falling on us, on fire. It was insolation foam stuff, it was falling down like snow but on fire, big chunks flying off.

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"We couldn’t get in the car. My partner’s car was parked outside on the road, right next to the building, so we couldn’t get to it." However, they have now made their way to St Helen's to stay with family.

Describing the start of the blaze, Bradley said: "My partner was sat on the couch facing out of the window and saw it happen. I was on the bed and the next thing she was saying that the building next door is on fire and to ring the fire brigade, which I did.

More than 50 firefighters were sent to the scene (Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)

"The entire top of the building was in flames. So I rang the fire brigade, told them what was going on and in between the time I phoned them and they arrived it had spread across the entire top floor, right next to our building. Maybe 10 or 15 feet away from us.

"At that point, we decided we needed to leave and then the fire alarm went off." Bradley went on to say: "It’s an abandoned building that was half built...but they stopped construction on it. It was covered in silver cladding which was like all ripped off and torn off, so the wind was just flapping it around.

Nearby residents were evacuated as smoke billowed into the sky (Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)

"Every now and then a bit would come off and go into the trees and stuff. There are gas bottles there, all sorts. It’s an abandoned construction site, basically." He said there was another smaller fire a few days ago in a park outside the building, with youths often getting inside and letting off fireworks from the top floor. "Since we’ve moved into this flat, which is about six months, it’s been constant kids in there messing around," he explained.

"We’re talking every other day a group of kids in there, letting off fireworks. There has been little fires outside it before but nothing like this. All the fencing around the building has been knocked down and they haven’t bothered to put it back up, that’s how kids are getting in. The police have been round there I don’t know how many times trying to find the kids."

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said 12 fire engines were dispatched to the scene of the four-storey development at 2.23pm, adding the building was "showing signs of collapse" and nearby residents were evacuated. A spokesman for the service told the Mirror the cause of the fire has not yet been established.

Ryan Merrifield